


not a secret i try to hide

by teasockschocolate



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Jealousy, Phillip's just a lil insecure okay, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-17 16:13:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14192787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teasockschocolate/pseuds/teasockschocolate
Summary: “Did you ever… I mean… you know, you and Peter…”“No.” Anne shook her head.Phillip paused, carefully weighing his next words. “Would you have?”She froze, one hand to her hair. Her eyes met his in the mirror and he raised his eyebrows.Would she? There’s certainly been times when something could have happened between her and Peter. He was handsome; strong. He’d been there for her at low points. But now, she couldn’t imagine thinking of any man besides Phillip.





	not a secret i try to hide

**Author's Note:**

> based on a tumblr prompt: I was hoping if you could do a story where W.D gets hurt and won't be able to perform for awhile. So another trapeze artist comes to sub for a few shows. But Phillip doesn't trust him and isn't liking how close he gets with Anne. Please!

The dip in her gut as she free fell into another’s arms was as old as life itself. Her back arched and arms outstretched, she let her fingers drop the safety of the bar, trusting him to catch her.

He would. He always had.

The audible gasp came from the audience and she allowed herself a satisfied smirk as they regained their composure when he swept from no where, wrapping a strong arm around her waist and bringing her back to the ground.

A small cloud of dirt puffed when their feet hit the ground of the tent and the crowd cheered.

She stuck her landing pose, throwing a grin to her partner next to her. W.D. was out for a few weeks with a sprained ankle shortly after the circus reopening at the docks. Barnum had found Peter, a talented Jamacian trapeze artist who’d briefly trained with W.D. and Anne years ago, as a replacement.

Anne had loved reconnecting with her old friend and had been thrilled to have someone she was already comfortable with in place of her brother.

* * *

“Not too bad, Annie,” Peter teased as they ran offstage while Lettie began her solo number.

“Not bad?” Anne smirked back. “Try brilliant. Astounding. Fantastic.”

“This publicity isn’t good for you. Old Anne would’ve just taken the compliment.”

“Oh, was that a compliment?”

“She also would have extended the compliment, if I’m not mistaken.”

Anne laughed. “You weren’t too bad, yourself.”

“See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

She rolled her eyes dramatically, grinning. “I don’t know about that.”

He shoved her playfully and she pushed back, ducking out of the way of his hand to tug her hair.

* * *

“Anne!” She turned to see Barnum standing a little away, Phillip hovering awkwardly over his shoulder. “Come over here for a moment.”

“Coming!” She called, excusing herself and jogging over to them.

She bumped Phillip with her shoulder when she came up next to him, and frowned when he only offered a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Wonderful job, as usual.” Barnum didn’t seem to notice. “Say, what would you think about bringing Peter on full-time?”

“Oh,” Anne opened her moth but Phillip quickly cut in.

“I don’t think that’s a great idea.”

Both she and Barnum turned to him.

“Why not?” Barnum frowned.

“Um,” Phillip’s eyes darted between them somewhat nervously. “Well, what’re we going to do with three trapeze artisits?”

“I thought it would be interesting to have even more up there. Three people is even more dangerous and entertaining!”

“I don’t think it makes sense. It’s too much of a risk and isn’t possible.”

“Ah, Phillip,” Barnum clapped his shoulder. “You should have learned by now the impossible is what we do!”

“I—“ Phillip pursed his lips.

“Is it Peter?” Barnum asked.

Phillip opened his mouth and shut it. “I just…”

“What is it?”

Anne quirked an eyebrow. “Yeah, Phillip. What is it?”

“Anne! Phillip!” Walter called to them. “Finale! Let’s go.”

“Think about it.” Barnum nodded to Phillip. “Good luck out there.”

Anne glanced at Phillip but he seemed determined not to look at her, keeping his eyes straight ahead as they followed the crowd to the ring.

* * *

He plastered his showman smile on as he slid into the center, going about the song and dance just as he had every night.

When Phillip spun her to him at the end, his eyes were a darker blue than normal and his fingers gripped her waist more firmly. When he dipped her, his lips burned as they hungrily encased hers, moving against hers with a passion he typically reserved for when there was less of an audience.

He straightened up, keeping one arm locked around Anne’s waist. He once again keeped his eyes to the crowd as he gestured to the bowing troupe with his free arm, not seeming to notice her questioning look at his sudden passion.

* * *

The subject of Peter wasn’t broached again until a few days later.

Anne sat at her vanity in her trailer, balancing hair pins in between her lips as she carefully twisted her hair into pin curls to go beneath her wig. Phillip watched her, lazily leaning against the wall.

“So,” He said, trying to sound casual. “You’re known Peter a while.”

She squinted an eye, not sure where this was coming from, but nodded.

“Did you ever… I mean…” 

She took the pins out of her mouth and set them on the table. “Did I what?”

“You know, you and Peter…”

_Oh._

“No.” Anne shook her head. 

“Oh,” Phillip’s face relaxed a little. “It just seemed like… I don’t know.”

Anne secured another pin in her hair. “We didn’t.” 

Phillip paused, carefully weighing his next words. “Would you have?”

She froze, one hand to her hair. Her eyes met his in the mirror and he raised his eyebrows.

Would she? There’s certainly been times when something could have happened between her and Peter. He was handsome; strong. He’d been there for her at low points. But now, she couldn’t imagine thinking of any man besides Phillip. 

“I mighta.” Anne said, turning on her stool to face him. “But that was a long time ago.”

Phillip ducked his head. “I knew it,” He mumbled.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Knew what?”

“If you… If you want to… I won’t stop you. I can’t blame you. I–”

“Phillip…” Anne stood. 

“He gets your world, Anne, and I just… I can’t.” He looked to the side so as not to make eye contact. “I don’t understand… so much of your life. And he could. And you work well with him. Barnum’s right, he should come in.”

“Phillip,” Anne stepped into his line of vision. “The other day, I was going to say I didn’t think he should stay either.”

At this, Phillip’s eyes snapped to hers, hope dancing in them. “Really?”

Anne sighed. “Phillip,” She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I don’t want anyone but you.”

“But–”

“Besides, a three person trapeze act is stupid.”

He ducked head, pressing his forehead to hers and his voice was barely above a whisper. “I just… I get… I just get so scared of losing you.”

“I know,” She murmured against him. “But you don’t have to, love. I’m not going anywhere.”

She brought a hand down his cheek; his fingers caught it and he pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. 

“Mine.” His voice was a mix of a murmur and a growl and a glint came to his eye.

She laughed when he pulled her against his chest, twisting so she was flat against the wall.

“We’ve got a show soon, Mr. Carlyle,”

“I don’t care.” He pressed his mouth to her jaw. “They can wait.”


End file.
